Samuel mirfield



(No Model.) s. MIRFIELD.

BREAD CUTTING MACHINE.

N0. 42,610. Patented May 19,1891.

.. Mu mur" UNITED s STATES SAMUEL MIRFIELD, OF TORONTO, CANADA.

PATENT OFFICE.

BREAD-CUTTING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 452,610, dated May 19, 1891. Application filed December 3, 1890- Serial No. 378,462. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, SAMUEL MIRFIELD, inanufacturer, of the city of Toronto, in the county of York, in the Province of Ontario, Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bread-Cutting Machines; and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

The object of this invention is to construct a bread-cutter which will automatically move the loaf forward and regulate the thickness of the slice to be out; and it consists, essentially, of the device hereinafter more fully set forth, and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved bread-cutter. Fig. 2 is a view of the cam and pawl operating levers. Fig. 3 is a view of the stop-block on the end of the cam-lever. Fig. 4 is a View of the end block of the bread-chamber. Fig. 5 is a vertical cross-section on the line a: :0, Fig. 1; and Fig. 6 is a longitudinal section through the stop-block.

Like letters and figures of reference refer to like parts throughout the specification and drawings. 7

In the drawings, A represents the table of the machine, to the upper side of which is socured a bread-chamber B. This bread-chamber consists of a bottom a, two side pieces Z) I), and a movable end block D.

On the inner faces of the side pieces I) b are formed grooves 00' to receive a secondary bottom 0. The object of this secondary bottom is to bring the centerof the differentsized loaves opposite the point of the knife E, so as to equalize the force of the thrust in cutting the same.

The movable end block D consists of a rectangular-shaped piece of wood having a slot (Z extending inward from one side. The opposite side of this end block D is provided with a metallic plate E, overlapping the inner face of the said block D. Y

Secured to the metallic plate E and extend ing inward therefrom, with their axes parallel to the face of the end block, are two forks e c to enter and securely hold the loaf in position.

In the slot cl is secured a removable fork F, having a shoulder f to overlap the said slot, and a shank f, extending through the said slot and the washer f.

On the end of the shank f is a thumb-screw e. The object of this construction is to permit the removal of the fork F before the bread is placed in the chamber B, and after it has been placed in the said chamber to put the said fork into it as far as it will go and then to tighten the thumb-screw c on the end of the shank f until the shoulder f is pressed so tightly against the inner face of the end block D that the fork B will be immovable, thus making the loaf perfectly rigid while the operation of slicing is going on.

The rear face of the end block D is fitted with an adjustable traveling foot G, which consists of a piece of met-a1 rectangular in shape having a curled end g to travel along the bottom of the chamber B, and a slot g in its body, through which extends a threaded bolt d from the end block D. On the end of the bolt d is a butterfly thumb-screw cl, which may be screwed tightly against the body of the foot G for the purpose of securely holding the foot G in the desired position. The object of this adjustable foot G is movements in the chamber B.

Rigidly connected to the end block D by a U-shaped bracket H, having a downwardlyextending arm 71, is a slide I, having ratchetteeth 2' out on one of its side faces to engage with a pawl K. This slide I passes freely through a guide L, formed on the top of the beam M. This beam M is parallel to the top of the table A and is supported on the front end I) of the side piece I) and by a standard m, resting on the top of the said table.

In the under side of the beam M near the E, and a corresponding groove A is formed in the front edge of the table A, vertically under the groove in the beam M. This groove A, it might be stated, is outside the plane of the front edge of the secondary bottom 0, so that the knife E may be freely moved from end to end of the said grooves or guides. At that end of the tablewhere the bread-chamber is situated and opposite the end of the groove A is hinged a sheath Nfor the reception of the'point of the knife E to prevent any possibility of any one getting cut or the point of the knife injured when in operation.

to support and steady the end block D in its 1 front edge is a groove or guide for the knife A hook 0, one end of which is pivoted at o to the top of the side piece I) and the other encircling a pin 0 in the top of the sheath N, holds the said sheath firmly in place to incase the point of the knife. By releasing the hook 0 from the pin 0 and swinging the sheath N back against the outer side of the side piece I) the bread-cutter will occupy considerable less space when packed away than it would if the sheath were rigid in its open position. On the top of the beam M is a lever P, having a cam 17 at the end 1) next the slide I and on the side adjoining the pawl-carrying lever Q.

At a suitable distance from the end 1) is a slot 1)", and through this slot p extends a guide-pin Q, on the top of which is fastened a cross-bar S, the opposite end of this crossbar being fastened to the top of a pins on the other side of the beam H. The guide-pin Q extends into the slot at the rear end thereof, and, as the beam M is given a longitudinal movement, acts to keep the same in a straight line or prevent lateral displacement. The cross-bar S also acts as a keeper forthepawlcarrying lever, the pins being passed through the extreme outer end thereof, so as to allow movement of said lever upon its pivot, so that the pawl may properly engage the teeth of the slide I. A stop-block s is located on the lever P a suitable distance behind the slot 1)", while behind the block 8' is a second slot 5'', corresponding in size and shape with the slot 19'.

A pin T, having an enlarged head, extends through the slot 5, and pivoted to this head is a reversible gage 1', having a long barf/and a short bar t".

At the end 11 of the lever-arm P is pivoted a stop-block U, consisting of an L.-shaped piece of metal, the upperside of which is provided with a curved end it and a shoulder to to correspond to the curved portion of the end of the lever I. It will be noticed that the upper longer side of this stop is pivoted directly to the upper surface of the end of the lever P, while the shorter arm 14 extends down below said lever. When it is desired to cut thin slices from the loaf, the long bar t of the reversible gaget is brought into play against the stop-block s, and the pawl K can then only gig the loaf forward a space equal to one tooth 11, and when it is desired to cut thick slices the short bar 15 is brought into play against the stop-block s, and the pawl K can then gig the loaf forward a distance equal to the pitch of two teeth or spaces 11 z'. The pawl K is connected to the lever Q by means of a pivot 7t and has attached to it one end of a spring 71;, while the other end of the said spring is attached to the pivot is. The function of this spring is to bring the pawl back to its normal position after it has been operated by the cam-lever P. The knife E consists of a blade Z, having a diamond point a, both edges of which are sharpened to cut through the leaf by a lateral movement, and slides when in motion along the guides formed in the table and the beam. In cutting the loaf the knife E is drawn back against the block U, striking the downwardly-projecting arm u thereof and pulling the said block and lever P as far back as they will go. From this it will be seen that as the lever I is pulled backward-the cam poperates on the curved face 2 of the pawl-carrying-lever Q, moving the lever Q and pawl K outward a distance equal to the travelof the cam 1), thus forcing the slide I and end block D forward the same distance. It will be seen that as the knife is retracted thepawl K acts upon the teeth of the slide, and giving a lateral movement to said slide will cause the end block thereof to act upon the loaf of bread and force the same forward. The object of pivoting the stop-block U to the lever-arm P is to permit the said block to be turned aside, so that the knife E may be easily removed.

\Vhat I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. In a bread-cutting machine, a breadchamberB, fitted with a secondary bottom 0, a movable end block D,connected to a slide I by means of a U-shaped bracket I-I, having a downwardly-extendin g arm 71, and the slide I, having ratchet-teeth t' cut on its side face, in combination with a pawl K, pivoted to the on d of the pawl-carrying lever Q, the cam-lever I, having aslotgnthe guide-pin Q',thestop-block s, the slot .5, and the pin T, and the reversible gage [,pivoted to the enlarged head of the pinT,

IOC

substantially as and for thepurpose set forth.

2. In a bread-cutting machine, a breadchamber provided with a secondary bottom, a movable end block fitted with an adjustable traveling foot, in combination with suitable mechanism, substantially as described, to antomatically move the said end block forward, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In a bread-cutting machine, the combination of a table A, bread-chamber B, aknife E, sliding in guides formed in the sides I) I), and a sheath N, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4-. In a bread-cutting machine, the combination of a table, a bread-chamber provided with a secondary bottom and movable end block fitted with an adjustable traveling foot, two stationary forks, and a removable fork, the said end block suitably connected to the end of a slide I, having ratchet-teeth cut on its side face, with the pawl K, pivoted to the end of the pawl-carrying lever, fitted with suitable guides, stop blocks, and gage, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

5. In a bread-cutting machine, the combiof a bread-chamber, a movable end block therein, provided at one edge with aplate projecting at right angles thereto, said plate having pins or forks extendinginwardly therefrom and at its opposite edge with an inwardly-extendin g slot, a removable fork fitted in said slot, provided with ashoulderbearing against the inner face of the end block, and

a shank extending through said slot and a thumb-screw upon the end of said shank,substantially as set forth.

6 In a bread-cutting machine, the combination of a bread-chamber, an end block therein, a ratchet-slide secured to said end block, a cutting-knife moving in suitable Ways in the framework, a cam-lever provided upon its outer end with a depending stop adapted to be engaged by the knife as the same is drawn back, and a pawl-carrying lever operated by said cam-lever, substantially as set forth.

7. In a bread-cutting machine, the combination of a bread-chamber, an end block therein, a ratchet-slide secured to said end block, a cutting-knife moving in suitable ways in the frame-work, a cam-lever provided with an elongated slot and upon its outer end with a depending stop adapted to be engaged by the knife as the same is drawn back, a pawlcarrying lever, and a cross-bar above the levers, provided upon one end with a guide-pin extending into the slot of the cam-lever, substantially as set forth.

8. In a bread-cutting machine, the combination of a cam-lever provided with an upwardly-extending stop, an elongated slot to the rear of said stop, apin passing into said slot and provided with an enlarged head, a reversible gage pivoted to said pin and provided with long and short arms, and a stop pivoted to the rear end of the cam-lever and adapted to be engaged by the knife as the same is drawn back, substantially as set forth.

Toronto, October 21, 1890.

SAMUEL MIRFIELD.

In presence of- GEORGE E. LUCAS, GUSTAVE I-I. PRIEST. 

